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⇱ slick - WordReference.com Dictionary of English

slick

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UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈslɪk/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/slɪk/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(slik)

Inflections of 'slick' (adj):
slicker
adj comparative
slickest
adj superlative

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
slick1 /slɪk/USA pronunciation   adj., -er, -est, n., adv. 
adj. 
  1. smooth and glossy:his slick black hair.
  2. smooth in manners, speech, etc., so as to be or seem to be sly or untrustworthy.
  3. ingenious;
    cleverly made.
  4. slippery, esp. from being covered with or as if with ice or oil:The car skidded on the slick surface.
  5. well executed and having surface appeal but shallow in content:slick writing.
  6. Slang Termswonderful;
    remarkable;
    first-rate.

n. [countable]
  1. a smooth or slippery place or the substance causing it:an oil slick.

adv. 
  1. smoothly;
    cleverly.
slick•ly, adv. 
slick•ness, n. [uncountable]Was his mayoral campaign all slickness and no content?

slick2 /slɪk/USA pronunciation   v. [~ + object]
  1. to make sleek or smooth:His hair was slicked down with hair cream.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
slick1  (slik),USA pronunciation adj., -er, -est, n., adv. 
adj. 
  1. smooth and glossy;
    sleek.
  2. smooth in manners, speech, etc.;
    suave.
  3. sly;
    shrewdly adroit:He's a slick customer, all right.
  4. ingenious;
    cleverly devised:a slick plan to get out of work.
  5. slippery, esp. from being covered with or as if with ice, water, or oil.
  6. deftly executed and having surface appeal or sophistication, but shallow or glib in content;
    polished but superficial;
    glib:a writer who has mastered every formula of slick fiction.
  7. Slang Termswonderful;
    remarkable;
    first-rate.

n. 
  1. a smooth or slippery place or spot or the substance causing it:oil slick.
  2. Informal Terms, Literature
    • a magazine printed on paper having a more or less glossy finish.
    • such a magazine regarded as possessing qualities, as expensiveness, chic, and sophistication, that hold appeal for a particular readership, as one whose members enjoy or are seeking affluence.
    • such a magazine regarded as having a sophisticated, deftly executed, but shallow or glib literary content. Cf. pulp (def. 6).
  3. Buildingany of various paddlelike tools for smoothing a surface.
  4. Automotivea wide tire without a tread, used in racing.
  5. Militarya helicopter.

adv. 
  1. smoothly;
    cleverly.
  • 1300–50; Middle English slike (adjective, adjectival); cognate with dialect, dialectal Dutch sleek even, smooth; akin to slick2
slick′ly, adv. 
slick′ness, n. 
    3. wily, tricky, foxy, sharp.
slick2  (slik),USA pronunciation v.t. 
  1. to make sleek or smooth.
  2. Clothingto use a slicker on (skins or hides).
  3. Informal Termsto make smart or fine;
    spruce up (usually fol. by up).

n. 
  1. Metallurgya small trowel used for smoothing the surface of the mold.
  2. Buildingany woodworking chisel having a blade more than 2 in. (5 cm) wide.
  • bef. 900; Middle English slicken (verb, verbal), Old English slician; akin to Old Norse slīkja to give a gloss to

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
slick /slɪk/ adj
  1. flattering and glib: a slick salesman
  2. adroitly devised or executed: a slick show
  3. informal chiefly US Canadian shrewd; sly
  4. informal superficially attractive: a slick publication
  5. chiefly US Canadian smooth and glossy; slippery
 n
  1. a slippery area, esp a patch of oil floating on water
 vb (transitive)
  1. chiefly US Canadian to make smooth or sleek
  2. (often followed by up) to make smooth or glossy
Etymology: 14th Century: probably of Scandinavian origin; compare Icelandic, Norwegian slikja to be or make smoothˈslickly adv ˈslickness n
'slick' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Collocations: has slick [black, short, combed-back] hair, the [tarmac] is slick with [rain, ice, snow, oil], [skidded, slid] on the slick [tarmac, road, surface], more...

🗣️Forum discussions with the word(s) "slick" in the title:

A pretty slick proposition
a shell burst slick upon the duck-boards
a slick payment service
As 'snowmelt slick' your mem'ry flies / lyric mild
as slick as deer guts on a door knob
as slick as s*** through a goose
Better Served Slick Than Cold
Don't try to be slick!
eyes slick over
fever-slick eyes
Finally, the slick mountains of love break over us
girls are slick with it
has named its slick propaganda magazine
her slick with sweat
His calculation of the ring is <fantastically slick>.
His face was a red slick
his mouth slick and dark
It's like they don't know if they wanna be slick
it's slick
J's voice was slick with danger
like slick Willy
sleek vs. slick [design]
slick
Slick
slick
slick (not a positive thing)
Slick a thirst
Slick as a whistle
slick as spit
slick blood
more...

Look up "slick" at Merriam-Webster
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